Thales of Miletus

Hello! My name is Thales. I lived a very, very long time ago, more than 2,500 years ago, in a sunny place by the sea called Miletus. I loved to look at the world around me. I looked at the big blue sea, the tall green trees, and the sparkly stars in the night sky. I always asked, "Why?" Why is the sky blue? Why does the sun come up every morning? Asking questions was my favorite game!

I had a big idea! I looked at the rain that helped flowers grow and the rivers that flowed to the sea. I thought, 'What if everything is made of water?' It seemed like water was everywhere and was a part of everything. I believed water was the special ingredient that made up the whole world. What do you think?

I also loved to watch the moon and stars dance across the night sky. I watched them so much that I learned their patterns. One day, I told all my friends, "Get ready for a surprise! The sun is going to play peek-a-boo!" I figured out that on a special day in the year 585 BCE, the moon would move right in front of the sun and hide it for a little while. This is called a solar eclipse. When it happened just like I said it would, everyone was amazed!

I lived a long and happy life filled with wondering and learning. Because I asked so many questions, other people started asking questions too! That's how we all learn new things. Today, people remember me as one of the very first scientists, someone who used his curiosity to understand our amazing world.